Bondmate Ball
by FasterGhost
Summary: Liara T'Soni is from old aristocratic family... and sometimes they do things differently than common folk. Watch Shepard being confronted with one of those strange traditions.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I was trying to get a little more insight into asari with this story... they are great in many things, not so great in some and outright terrifying in few... and that's why I love them. :) _

_Big thanks to Theodur for allowing me to use the flying ponies and for permanently implanting the idea of Shepard/Liara + Aria/Tevos friendship into my headcanon! _

_**Thessia, about 15 years after the reaper war**_

"So, remind me, why are we going there again?" Shepard asked her bondmate as she continued to nervously fidget in the seat of their skycar.

Liara threw her a slightly annoyed look. They have been discussing this for days. "Because this is a great tradition among my people and the head of the house T'Soni is simply expected to attend..." Liara patiently explained. "And you agreed to it."

"Yeah, but why do I have to wear this?" Shepard whined, pulling on her black dress.

Liara rolled her eyes, realizing what this was all about.

"As much as I love you in them, I won't let you wear that N7 hoodie and cargo pants into society!" Liara said. "Besides, I wear dresses for you all the time!"

"Yes, you do..." Shepard replied with a dreamy expression, earning her a playful push from Liara sitting next to her.

"You always have your biotics, but I can't properly hide a gun in this thing!" Shepard managed to complain when the image of Liara in her dresses left the forefront of her mind.

"That's tough. Don't worry though. If there is trouble, just get under the table and I promise I will protect you..." Liara teased her.

Shepard only growled in response. They sat in silence for a few seconds as the skycar continued to take them to their destination.

"So where did you hide the gun?" Liara finally asked.

Shepard looked at her with 'that look'. "When we get back home, maybe you can find out" she said and leaned over to quickly kiss her bondmate on her cheek.

Shepard's hand went to her neckline and she traced her fingers around the metal piece surrounding her neck.

"Hey, love. One last question and perhaps I should have started with it..." Shepard said, a blush appearing on her face. "Why am I wearing a collar with your family sign on it? she asked.

Liara blushed in return but a certain feral look filled her eyes as she looked into her bondmate's eyes.

"The sign is called sigil, my love. And that is the point of this gala party. To show to all the nobles of Thessia, that Jane Shepard has been claimed by house T'Soni... by ME" she stressed the last word and pulled Shepard by her collar and into a passionate kiss.

They finally separated when they heard the skycar VI announce one minute to the destination.

Both Liara and Shepard were breathing heavily as they composed themselves. Especially Shepard had to fix her hair which was disturbed by her fervent bondmate. For some reason, Liara always went for her hair. Shepard found it incredibly cute. She supposed that it were the differences between them that were the objects of much attention during their lovemaking. Liara enjoyed her human strangeness just as much as she loved Liara's asari crest and her beautiful blue skin.

She looked at the details of her collar – the house T'Soni's bondmate collar. The piece of the metal alone was a priceless artifact, the engravings on it masterfully done and coalescing into a beautiful rendition of T'Soni's house sigil – a yellow flower remotely resembling an earth's rose.

She remembered when Liara told her about it. The flower itself was always considered very rare on Thessia and in any substantial quantity only ever grew around Liara's family ancestral household. Legend said that it was a gift from goddess Janiri herself to Liara's ancestors.

Of course, given what they learned during the reaper war and what Javik told them, this legend might very well be true. Especially, since they saw a nearly identical flower growing around Prothean ruins on planet Eletania all those years ago.

"Shepard, are you ready to go?" Liara asked her, disrupting her reverie.

Liara saw her looking over her collar and smiled. "You know, you are quite lucky" Liara said with a wicked grin. "Since I am quite certain of your loyalty to me, I have decided to forgo the use of leash... which also used to be traditional for this celebration"

Shepard looked at her with disbelieving stare but then remembered that the collar does indeed have a small metal loop that could be used to fasten a leash to it. She gulped down, thankful that Liara trusted her enough. But while Shepard did not relish the thought of being publicly led on leash in front of the thessian aristocracy, she definitely planned to ask Liara to do it when they got home.

"Uhm, thank you, Liara" she mumbled an uncertain thanks to her smiling bondmate.

They got out of the skycar, which immediately flew away.

Shepard looked around them. The celebration was held in one of the older meeting halls, specifically designed to hold pompous and also secretive parties for the asari matriarchs. Shepard did not see a single journalist, not a single cam floating around.

Taking Liara's hand into her own, they went on to the entrance into the main hall, stopping only to leave some of their outside clothes in the changing room, a charming asari coat girl taking their clothes.

When they reached the entrance another smiling asari went forward to greet them.

"Welcome to the Bondmate Ball, lady T'Soni, spectre Shepard" the asari nodded at the both of them, noting their arrival on her omni-tool. "You may come in when ready"

Shepard and Liara looked at each other and took a step forward, other asari servants opening the doors for them. When they walked inside the enormous hall, Shepard was momentarily blinded by the grandeur that she saw.

The room was like taken from the fairy tales of old. Beautiful frescos were lining the walls, depicting various famous events from asari history, going as far as 35 000 years. Golden ornaments decorated the ceiling; the trace amounts of eezo in them making them shiver a gentle blue light. Greatest sculptures of asari art were placed in the alcoves around the room. The floor was a mosaic of precious gemstones taken from all over the Thessia and carved into precise hexagons.

Shepard saw tables, forming a letter U placed on one side of the hall. On the other side was a slightly elevated stage where some asari band was currently setting up their equipment. Between the stage and the tables was a small dance floor.

On the side of the hall, there were tables filled with deliciously looking food, meticulously prepared by the best asari caterers. And of course, there was a large bar next to them.

In addition to the main tables, there were numerous small coffee tables spread around the hall in strategic positions, following the asari mindset by allowing the guests to mingle freely with each other.

"Dr. Liara T'Soni, head of the most ancient and noble house T'Soni and her bondmate, spectre Jane Shepard!" the announcer, an older looking asari with a strong piercing voice, proclaimed their presence to the entire hall.

Suddenly, every eye in the room gazed at Shepard and Liara. And there were many eyes indeed, sometimes more than two per person. Shepard saw well over hundred asari and at least as many aliens of various species – their bondmates.

Shepard suddenly grew self-conscious of all the attention and of the piece of metal around her neck. But then she realized what it represented and relaxed. She would gladly proclaim her love and loyalty to Liara to the entire galaxy. One room will not be a problem.

When an asari hostess gestured to follow her to their table, Shepard stepped in front of Liara. Falling of one knee, she made a large bow to her bondmate before standing up. "My lady?" she said and offered her hand to Liara. Her bondmate took it, a deeply touched look on her face. Look that made Shepard love her ever more.

Following the hostess, Shepard escorted Liara to their table. The other guests muttered approvingly at Shepard's actions, making Shepard proudly raise her head so everyone could clearly see T'Soni's sigil engraved on her collar.

Liara's place was almost at the head of the table and when they reached it, Shepard moved out her chair for her, allowing Liara to sit and earn further approvals from the watching matriarchs at the same time, before taking her own seat.

As soon as they both sat, the attention to them disappeared and the guests went back to mingling.

Servers brought them two glasses of Serrice ice wine for their initial toast. They clicked their glasses, kissed each other and drank the wine. With that, the rituals were over for the moment and they were both free to stand up and mingle with the rest of the guests and watch more of them arrive.

Shepard discreetly looked at the other aliens present. Most of them were humans, turians and salarians, some krogans and batarians and few quarians and volus. In addition, there were odd elcor, drell and even hanar and vorcha. Shepard saw a stork shaped alien that she did not even recognize at first before Liara whispered to her that it was raloi.

They all wear collars similar to the one currently adoring Shepard's neck. Even though some of them were wearing it on different part of the body, since they had either a too big neck or none at all. Apparently, all houses had unique engravings done on the collars and of course, the sigil was different.

The flower of Liara's family appeared to be a rarity as most of the other sigils were various thessian creatures – real or fantastic. Many of them were flying creatures that Thessia was so famous for.

Given the vast amounts of dust-form element zero scattered in the biosphere, almost all animals and some plants developed at least some levels of biotic abilities. The most common trick was using the element zero to temporarily lower their body mass which allowed many absurdly large animals to achieve proficiency in flying or at least jumping really high.

Shepard was scared shitless by one of them when they went on a family outing during the re-opening of the Armali national park. Her daughter suddenly enthusiastically jumping around and pointing upwards as a gigantic shadow went over their hands. Shepard lifted her head and saw an elephant sized animal glowing with biotics and casually flying over them. In a split of a second, she gently tackled her daughter, covering her with her own body, before smiling Liara came over to her and told them it was a harmless shy herbivore… Her daughter still remembers that day, because later on she got to ride a flying pony.

The reaper war took an immense toll on animals of Thessia. There was one predator that kept attacking reaper units with devastating biotic warps and was subsequently hunted to extinction by them. Its image was now part of the official coat of arms of Thessia aerial defense force and scientist had it cloned and reintroduced into Thessia's sky.

Shepard could fully understand why so many ancient asari would choose these majestic animals as symbols of their houses.


	2. Chapter 2

When all invited guests arrived, there was an official opening and a common dinner. Shepard had to admit that it was probably the best food she ever had… and that was saying something because Liara always joked and blamed her for '_transferring her fussiness about asari food to their daughter'_.

After the dinner and to Shepard's disappointment, Liara was dragged away by some of her acquaintances and old friends of Benezia.

Shepard sat alone for a moment and when she saw Liara engaged in a lively discussion with some matriarchs, she decided to stand up and do some socializing of her own.

On a closer look on the collared (and mostly non-asari) half of the guest, she saw many somewhat familiar faces, even if she did not necessarily know the names of all of them.

She saw actors and singers that she recognized easily. Politicians and businesspersons she saw once somewhere. And many more faces of every species found in the citadel space.

Shepard was mildly shocked when she saw a salarian female of whom she was pretty certain was dalatrass Lerta, the current head of the Salarian Union, wearing her bondmate collar and talking with several similarly collared turian and asari politicians. Shepard guessed that the rumors of her relationship with one of the thessian matriarchs were truthful after all.

Shepard then saw a very familiar figure alone at one of the coffee tables and went to greet her.

"Councilor Tevos!" Shepard exclaimed happily when she saw her.

"Shepard, it is good to see you, my friend" the asari councilor smiled at her before they kissed each other on the cheeks. "You look good. Are you enjoying the celebration?"

"It's ok. I know that it is important to Liara, so I am happy to be here" Shepard shrugged. Her hand went to her collar. "Although, when Liara first mentioned this, I was not expecting anything like this would be involved."

"I understand" Tevos said sympathetically. "There is actually very complex history behind it, even if nothing of it is left today except this celebration" Tevos said.

"Tell be about it" Shepard said. While Liara did explain this tradition to her, she knew that Tevos studied asari traditions and etiquette for centuries and Shepard was genuinely interested to hear her version.

Tevos sighed as she wondered where to start. "You know that asari daughters only take genes from their mothers?" she asked and Shepard nodded.

Shepard was actually grateful for this every time she was getting her daughter to sleep, remembering very well her own pre-sleeping tantrums she used to do as a kid.

"Right. While this is obvious when the father is from different species, it is just as true when she is another asari" Tevos continued.

Shepard understood this as well. As much as they all teased Liara about being a quarter krogan, Liara did not have Aethyta's genes as much as the matriarch did not have DNA from her krogan father. Still, some of her father's kroganish mannerisms were definitely rubbing on her over the years.

"Even without any knowledge of molecular biology, the ancient asari soon observed that the child universally favored her mother in appearance. Two siblings were similar when they were both carried by the same parent but not when the other one of them decided to give birth." Tevos continued to explain and Shepard kept nodding.

"Hence the bonding... or marriage in human terms. While among common asari, the relationship between bondmates was always quite egalitarian, it was not the case for the noble families" Tevos said, growing more serious.

"An asari that was being bonded with a daughter of a noble house was taking an oath of fidelity to her house and promise to faithfully raise their children." Tevos said with a sad look.

Shepard was confused. She thought that it sounded quite nice and romantic.

"She would also swear that she would not try to bear a child herself, Shepard" Tevos added. "Only the bondmate from the noble family would birth children, thus ensuring that her line would not be overtaken by another."

"That's... not nice." Shepard said. "Still, even humans did some questionable things in the name of 'preserving their line'" Shepard said, thinking of the European aristocracy of 19th century.

"Yes, I suppose so. Quite a lot of ancient asari politics focused on these bondings, actually. Some families deliberately subsumed others in this way, by seducing all daughters of their rival family into taking the bondmate oath to another." Tevos said. "This was how we fought with each other, Shepard. Not with weapons like humans or turians, but with sex... and some cynics would say that we still do."

"So, the bondmate collar…?" Shepard asked, touching the metal around her neck again and finally beginning to understand where Tevos was going to.

"The collar was a symbol of the bondmate's submission to the noble family of her lover and her promise to not bear children herself." Tevos explained. "And this celebration was a place for the asari aristocracy to show of their... _catches_ to the other rival families.

"Thank you for telling me, Tevos" Shepard thanked her friend.

So she was here as Liara's priced possession... Shepard found that difficult to process even if the idea was not entirely uncomfortable.

Sensing her thoughts, Tevos spoke. "Like I said, Shepard, all that is ancient history today. Only the act of celebration itself remains. The original meaning was lost a long time ago." Tevos assured her. "Actually, I doubt even half of the asari here correctly understands the meaning behind these collars... and those who do, do not associate the original idea with them. Asari preference to mate with other species rendered concerns about family line preservation irrelevant anyway and the few asari couples you see here certainly do not bar each other from having a child." Tevos assured her.

"Think of this as a terribly luxurious and a slightly kinky time to spend with your bondmate" Tevos admitted with a smile. "I know I do"

Shepard agreed. Bonding with Liara was all she ever wanted for a very long time. And she would gladly do it, even if she had to wear that collar for the rest of her life. Looking across the all, she caught eyes with her blue angel who was now waving over to Tevos in greeting. Liara was still talking with the rest of thessian nobility and Shepard would not disturb her. Nevertheless, she placed a kiss into the palm of her hand and thrust it in her bondmate's direction. Liara then made a discreet grabbing motion in her direction before she placed the hand over her heart. _"I love you so much" _Shepard thought.

"Wait a minute!" Shepard suddenly realized the full extend of what Tevos was saying to her. "Does that mean that you are here with...?"

Her question was rendered moot when a purple skinned asari came to their coffee table and placed a hand over Tevos. "Hello, Shepard" Aria T'Loak said in her usual, slightly menacing tone.

Shepard was going to answer, but her mind froze when she saw the pirate queen of Omega wearing a collar with what was apparently Tevos' family sigil – a winged creature that looked like those asari flying ponies that her daughter loved so much... And it was around Aria's neck!

"You better close it before something flies into it" Aria warned her, making Shepard realize that she has been staring for a long time with her mouth open.

"Uh – right. Well, nice to see you. And – you look good tonight…" Shepard stuttered, still trying to reconcile the image of badass Aria with the image of collared Aria in front of her.

"Shove it, Shepard!" Aria answered her angrily, making Tevos roll her eyes. "Here we go again..." she said tiredly. "While you to are here squabbling I am going to greet Liara, excuse me" Tevos said with amusement in her voice before walking away in Liara's direction and joining the debating nobility.

Shepard was almost about to shout "Wait for me!" before Aria grabbed her arm. "Shepard, don't run, I won't bite" Aria said, her earlier grumpiness completely gone from her voice. Shepard just looked at her disbelievingly. "Having mood swings lately?" Shepard teased her.

"Nah, that was only for her benefit" Aria said, looking at her bondmates retreating form. "Right now, she owes me BIG time for agreeing to come here like this... and I intend to be collecting that debt from her for many nights" Aria said with a lewd expression. "So she doesn't need to know that I am actually glad to be here"

"You are, huh?" Shepard asked, not certain whether her friend was joking or if she just discovered a new side of Aria T'Loak.

"Sure I am! For many reasons..." Aria said debating with herself whether to tell them to Shepard.

"Go on" Shepard encouraged her.

"Ok, first of all Shepard, look around you" Aria urged her, indicating with her hands over the hall. "Half of the galaxy's most powerful players are here... and the second half is here as their bondmates." Aria said in a business like tone. "I already negotiated contracts worth millions of credits just by being here and talking to them."

Shepard had to admit that she had a good point. Stock exchanges could be crushed near that buffet and galactic wars started over at the bar...

"Second, you know that I am seeking more... acceptance from asari society" Aria asked and Shepard nodded.

She thought that Aria was doing really well in that regard. Gone was the image of scourge of the terminus systems whose name was whispered only in fear... at least officially. Shepard knew that Aria was still ruthless as always when she had to.

"Coming up here, wearing this..." Aria touched her collar with pony image on it. "... shows even to the most stuck-up matriarchs that I have respect for our traditions. It also gives them an impression that Tevos will be able to reel me in if I get out of hand" Aria laughed.

"And third... We had to hide our relationship for centuries because of those other blue bitches" Aria nodded in the direction of the gaggle of conversing asari aristocrats. "Your bondmate excluded, of course" Aria added when she saw Shepard's reprimanding stare.

"I don't know, it just feels good to take our relationship and shove it into their faces" Aria touched her collar. "This thing can work both ways, you know: _I belong to Tevos, but she is also under my protection and if you mess with her I will destroy you"_

Shepard understood perfectly what she meant. She felt the same about Liara. "Come Aria" she smiled at the pirate queen. "Let's go get some drinks while the loves our lives start a war or something..." Shepard said, making Aria's eyes sparkle. "You're on, Shepard."


	3. Chapter 3

They went over to the bar area where they found a luxurious and very private booth that still allowed them a great view of the entire hall. An asari waitress came to take their orders – Aria ordering them both some drinks that Shepard never heard about.

When the drinks arrived, they both raised their glasses. "To our bondmates" Shepard simply said to which Aria nodded and they clicked their glasses. Shepard took a sip of the drink and wasn't surprised that it tasted very good. After all, Aria's been running her famous night club for centuries and knew what she was doing.

"Ahh... that's what I'd call a couch" Aria audibly sighed as she sprawled on her comfortably cushioned seat, shortly after which Shepard followed her example.

"I have to admit Aria, I would never expect you to let Tevos put it on you and not the other way around" Shepard said, nodding at Aria's bondmate collar.

"Her family is bigger in our world than mine..." Aria admitted. "And besides, you are the freaking savior of the galaxy and yet you let a maiden five times younger than me put it on you!"Aria exclaimed to the grinning spectre.

"You know, this is real reason why we asari are the most powerful species in the galaxy..."Aria said in a matter of fact tone.

"Because I would love my asari bondmate to dominate the hell out of me?" Shepard asked jokingly.

"I am talking serious, Shepard" Aria chastised her. "But essentially, yes" she admitted. "What do you think are the reasons we Asari are so influential?" she asked her.

Shepard thought about it for a moment. "I would say longevity, wisdom and sex-appeal" she eventually said.

"Again, yes, although wisdom as they say, can come in many forms" Aria said. "Look at the people who are here" she said, looking out into the hall.

"What do you think that dalatrass Lerta's policy towards asari is going to be, as long as matriarch Pallani is screwing her brain out every other day, hmm?" Aria asked with a smirk.

Shepard nodded in understanding. The salarian union did recently initiate many cooperative ventures with the asari republics that were being stubbornly refused by the salarians in the past.

"Same goes for every other politician who is hitting the sack with asari... that's why my people hold all the power" Aria continued.

"Then all those alien business tycoons who are here... when they eventually pass on, their companies and property won't go over to their own species, but will be inherited by their asari bondmates and children... that's why my people hold all the money" Aria said.

"Liara won't get much from me, though" Shepard chuckled bitterly. "From the military and spectre pay grade, I was never any rich."

"Of course not, but her family is an old one and was already ridiculously rich even before asari managed a space travel" Aria said – to her credit, without any hints of envy. "Most of the other rich families here though? Upstarts really, but still very successful."

"I don't see asari taking over the universe if that's what you are saying" Shepard retorted.

"It is not overly publicized, but it is the fact. Humans might still be relatively intact because you are not around that long, but still, your Sirta Foundation? Recently inherited by T'Navis family. Hahne-Kedar? Majority is owned by that lovely gentleman over there, wearing a Loeara family bondmate collar. Jonah Ashland's empire will likely go over to his long time liaison - matriarch T'Awnas, especially since his human daughter accidently killed herself while trying to use a napkin" Aria enumerated much to Shepard's growing amazement.

"Other races are even deeper into the blue... Armax Arsenal – originally a turian venture, but now owned by asari; Haliat Armory – asari. Almost all of the banks on Irune are now owned by asari..." Aria said.

"So you are saying all those nutcases shouting how asari are trying to mind control us and rule us with sex are actually correct? Shepard asked disbelieving.

Aria gave her a dark smile before she took a sip of her drink. "Of course it's not true" she finally said jovially and Shepard visibly relaxed. "Not true in the sense that there is no intentional conspiracy in that way, but the facts are still there" Aria said.

"Like every other species in the galaxy, we asari instinctively tend to look out for the best possible romantic partners that we can find. What makes asari different though is that we usually really get them... Like Liara got you" Aria finished with a smirk.

"That's not true!" Shepard objected. "I am not with Liara because she's an asari, I love her because she is smart, kind and strong and just... Liara"

"Yes, you do. I do not mean to belittle what you two have... most of the bondmates here are sharing a genuine true love" Aria assured her. "But honestly, think back to the time when you met Liara the first time."

Shepard did, remembering how she saw her for the first time, floating in the prothean stasis bubble. The beautiful shy scientist who was later going to become the love of her life and the mother of her child. A smile plastered itself across her face.

"Would you be really so immediately taken with her even if she was a krogan, a batarian... or a vorcha?" Aria slowly asked her, seeing her dopey smile.

Shepard's smile quickly disappeared when she pictured Aria's words. "Yes! No-! I mean later, when I'd got to know her!" she quickly blurted out and Aria arched an eyebrow at her.

"Ok, maybe I see your point" Shepard finally and reluctantly admitted.

"I am not saying we are better or smarter, but we have advantages over you aliens and we are not afraid to use them... Just go ask patriarch about how exactly he lost his army to me the next time you come to Omega" Aria winked at her and finished her drink.

"Come, let's go see what our bondmates have been up to" Aria stood up, dragging Shepard out of the booth with her.

_**Later**_

The event went on completely peacefully for the rest of the evening, with Shepard spending his time with Liara, providing her much needed emotional support during her discussions with her asari peers. Shepard was incredibly proud of her bondmate. While Liara was without any dispute the youngest guest there, she was usually gathering more attention than seasoned matriarchs.

When they were talking, Liara was standing in the middle of their group while the rest of the asari flocked to her, many of them eight times her age. It reminded her of what Councilor Tevos once jokingly told her:

"I am glad that Liara is so very young as she is. With all that she achieved – stopping Saren, becoming the Shadow Broker, finding the crucible and stopping the reapers – if she were only a few centuries older, they would put her in charge in a heart beat and I would have been unemployed".

And then what Aria told her:

"Shepard, you often say that sickeningly romantic thing – _that you could have never stopped the reapers without Liara_. Well, let me give you the actual cold truth based on an unbiased observer: _You could have never stopped the reapers without Liara."_

And Shepard agreed with both of those sentiments with all her heart.

_**Later**_

"Did you enjoy the party, my love? Liara asked here while they were slow dancing to a human song that was currently being played, the band periodically switching between repertoires of many species, so all alien bondmates would get a chance to dance with their partners. They even played elcor songs, which were basically a marching music played on near infrasound drums. "I am sorry, if this was too much exposition to asari weirdness for one day" Liara genuinely apologized with smile.

"No, it was fine, Liara, honest. I had a good time" Shepard assured her. "All this is part of what you are Liara, and want to know all about it" she pressed her bondmate's body closer as they danced.

Shepard passionately kissed her when the song reached a particularly romantic part. "And it was fun watching you shooting down all those unattached matriarchs who wanted to... befriend you" Shepard said with a wicked smile.

"You saw that?" Liara gasped. "And you don't mind?"

"I would mind only if you went away with her" Shepard explained. "and maybe not if you invited me too..." Shepard jokingly said, causing Liara to lightly stomp on her foot.

"You are so lucky that I prefer terribly immature human spectres over wise asari matriarchs" Liara said to her and placed her head on her shoulder.

"Ouch" Shepard pretended to be hurt. "But seriously, it's a normal thing. Wherever we go, those who are not trying to get into your pants are trying to get into mine..." Shepard said wistfully.

"But I guess that's what we get for saving the galaxy" she said and gently kissed top of Liara's crest.

_**Later**_

When the party was over and they got back home – the large T'Soni family mansion – it was well after midnight.

After Shepard quickly peeked into one of the rooms to make sure her little blue angel was sleeping well, she was ambushed by Liara in the corridor. Her bondmate kissed her ferociously and then drew her in the direction of their bedroom.

"Wait-" Shepard breathlessly whispered. "In the skycar, you said that you decided not to use the leash... perhaps that changed?" Shepard said with a slight blush but also with a terrible need for her bondmate.

"Are you sure?" Liara asked her and Shepard immediately nodded.

With that feral possessive look that Shepard saw from her earlier, Liara glowed a brilliant blue of her biotics as she formed a biotic whip and sent it in the direction of her bondmate. But instead of causing her any harm, it seamlessly melted into her collar which then sparkled and grew pleasantly warm in response.

Liara gave her new leash a few experimental tugs, each one causing Shepard's arousal to inexplicably grow.

"You belong to me and I am going to peel you out of everything… except that collar" Liara said to her seductively. "Follow me... **bondmate**" Liara emphasized the last word and tugged Shepard in the direction of their bedroom.

"Yes... **mistress T'Soni**" she exhaled through the mist of her arousal and followed her love into their bedroom.


End file.
